Linked Life Data

11090860

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/11090860

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1-2
pubmed:dateCreated
2000-12-28
pubmed:abstractText
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has become an increasingly attractive area for the pharmaceutical industry, the most experimentally tractable of the neurodegenerative diseases. Mechanisms underlying cell death in ALS are likely to be important in more common but more complex disorders. Riluzole, the only drug launched for treatment ALS is currently undergoing industrial trials for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington disease, stroke and head injury. Other compounds in Phase III testing for ALS (mecamserin, xaliproden, gabapentin) are also in trials for other neurodegenerative disorders. Mechanisms of action of these advanced compounds are limited to glutamate antagonism, direct or indirect growth factor activity, as well as GABA agonism and interaction with calcium channels. A broader range of mechanisms is represented by compounds in Phase I trials: glutamate antagonism (dextramethorphan/p450 inhibitor; talampanel), growth factors (leukemia inhibiting factor; IL-1 receptor; encapsulated cells secreting CNTF) and antioxidants (TR500, a glutathione-repleting agent; recombinant superoxide dismutase; procysteine.) An even broader range of mechanisms is being explored in preclinical discovery programs. Recognition of the difficulties associated with delivery of protein therapeutics to the CNS has led to development of small molecules interacting either with neurotrophin receptors or with downstream intracellular signalling pathways. Other novel drug targets include caspaces, protein kinases and other molecules influencing apoptosis. High-throughput screens of large libraries of small molecules yield lead compounds that are subsequently optimized by chemists, screened for toxicity, and validated before a candidate is selected for clinical trials. The net is cast wide in early discovery efforts, only about 1% of which result in useful drugs at the end of a decade-long process. Successful discovery and development of novel drugs will increasingly depend on collaborative efforts between the academy and industry.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Nov
pubmed:issn
0022-510X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
1
pubmed:volume
180
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
21-8
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
Novel drug development for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
pubmed:affiliation
Neuroscience Research, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, New Frontiers Science Park North H25/124, Third Avenue, Harlow, Essex CM19 5AW, UK. Orest_2_Hurko@sbphrd.com
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review